QUÉBEC CITY, May 24, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - The Away-from-Home Recovery Program (the Program), the Regroupement des maisons de jeunes du Québec (RMJQ) and the bacs+ (acronym for bénéfices de l'augmentation de la collecte sélective, or benefits of improving curbside recycling) group have established a historic partnership to launch the Curbside Recycling Ambassadors Program.

Taking advantage of the Annual General Assembly of the RMJQ at Université Laval, the organizations jointly presented their program designed to support projects initiated by 187 youth centres throughout Quebec. The goal of the program is to enhance curbside recycling and promote its social benefits by mobilizing youth.

"We are on our way to establishing, in cooperation with municipalities, the best North-American network for recovering materials in public places. That, alone, is extraordinary. However, if we are to ensure that there is a recycling bin next to every trash can, and we always recover more and better, we need ambassadors in every region in Quebec. A budget envelope of $700,000 drawn from company contributions has been allocated to this program. It is an innovative project in full alignment with Quebec'sResidual Materials Management Policy, and we are excited to have an opportunity to work with youth involved in the RMJQ," explained Maryse Vermette, President and CEO of Éco Entreprises Québec and Secretary-Treasurer of the Away-from-Home Recovery Program.

The program is designed to optimize recyclable materials recovery in municipal public places with the help of RMJQ-member youth centres. The centres are invited to develop and present a proposal in order to receive financing of up to $4,000 for project implementation.

Youth centres may choose between two types of projects according to the situation in their respective territory: They may develop and implement concrete actions that will encourage the public to increase their use of recovery equipment already in place, or implement an initiative to urge their municipality to install more equipment. In both cases, the projects promote away-from-home materials recovery while getting our youth involved in community action.

"Each project will rally the youngsters to take concrete action to protect the environment, which is something they care about. The issue is, in fact, in keeping with the mission of youth centres, which is to help our youth to become critically-thinking, active and responsible citizens. As a socially-involved group, we are very proud to play a part in the optimization of curbside recycling in Quebec by becoming ambassadors of this innovative program," said Marjorie Gagnon, President of the RMJQ.

In addition to making more recovery equipment available in municipal public places such as parks, along streets, in sports centres and libraries, this initiative will also improve the effectiveness, both in quantity and quality, of recyclable materials recovery throughout Quebec.

"We are committed to raising public awareness about the recovery of recyclable materials. We believe that working with curbside recycling ambassadors is an excellent way to get the message out in every part of Quebec and contribute to the positive effects of this system," explained Carole Grenier, Director, Public Affairs for Éco Entreprises Québec, and spokesperson for the bacs+ group.

About Éco Entreprises Québec Éco Entreprises Québec (ÉEQ) is the organization that develops the Schedule of Contributions and collects company contributions, which are then redistributed to finance municipal curbside recycling services in Quebec. ÉEQ is a private non-profit organization created by companies that put containers, packaging and printed matter on Quebec's market. The organization was accredited by RECYC-QUÉBEC in 2005 under the Environment Quality Act.

Away-from-Home Recovery ProgramThe Away-from-Home Recovery Program is a non-profit organization created by stakeholders involved in the recovery of materials that accompany products consumed outside the home. The Program offers concrete, efficient and durable solutions for the recovery of the large quantities of recyclable materials produced in public places. The Program is managed by Éco Entreprises Québec.

Bacs+Bacs+ was created by Éco Entreprises Québec (ÉEQ). The group's members and partners endeavour to send the positive message that curbside recycling is the best system to recover all types of recyclable materials because it is the simplest and most available, effective, profitable and eco-responsible.

Regroupement des maisons de jeunes du Québec (RMJQ)The youth centres are associations of adults and youth whose mission is to provide, on a voluntary basis, a lively place in the community for youngsters from 12 to 17 to gather and interact with nurturing adults and eventually become critically-thinking, active and responsible adults. The RMJQ is recognized by Quebec's Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux. In addition to promoting the youth centre project, it endeavours to defend, on a daily basis, the interests of our youth as well as increase awareness and recognize the work of its more than 185 member youth centres.